Method and apparatus for manufacturing continuous strands of a pourable material such as shredded tobacco

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for continuously manufacturing a strand of fibrous pourable material, such as shredded tobacco. A tobacco feeding arrangement delivers the material initially into the inlet end of an elongated suction conduit in which the stream of fibrous material is divided into subsidiary streams and delivered to a transfer location from where the material flows into engagement with the perforated peripheral wall of a rotary suction wheel. The initial suction stream terminates at this transfer location, while a second suction stream is applied through the suction wheel to draw the material against the periphery thereof. The several subsidiary suction conduits have a direction of flow which cuts across the periphery of the suction wheel at a predetermined angle providing for movement-free, layered deposition of the several subsidiary streams onto the periphery of the suction wheel with the several streams being distributed one behind the other along the periphery of the suction wheel. The cross section of each of the several subsidiary suction conduits gradually diminishes to the width of the suction wheel while each subsidiary conduit has a circumferential length several times greater than its minimum width.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Herbert'Geyer;

Johannes Herrmann, Dresden, Germany [2]] Appl. No. 746,152 [22] FiledJuly 19, 1968 [45] Patented Feb. 16, 1971 [73] Assignee VEB Tabak-undlndustriemaschinen Dresden, Dresden, Germany [54] METHOD AND APPARATUSFOR MANUFACTURING CONTINUOUS STRANDS OF A POURABLE MATERIAL SUCH ASSHREDDED TOBACCO 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 131/84 [51] Int. Cl. A24c 5/18 [50] Field ofSearch 131/66,66 (A), 84, 84 (A), 84 (B), 84 (C) [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,095,150 10/1937 Molins et a1. l31/84UX) 2,111,672 3/1938Molins 13l/84K(A) 3,019,793 2/1962 Labbe 13 l /84(B) 3,074,413 1/1963McArthur. 131/84(B) 3,138,163 6/1964 ffoulkes 13l/84X(B) FOREIGN PATENTS291,467 l/l929 GreatBritain Primary Examiner-Joseph S. ReighAttorney-Nolte and Nolte ABSTRACT: A method and apparatus forcontinuously manufacturing a strand of fibrous pourable material, suchas shredded tobacco. A tobacco feeding arrangement delivers the materialinitially into the inlet end of an elongated suction conduit in whichthe stream of fibrous material is divided into subsidiary streams anddelivered to a transfer location from where the material flows intoengagement with the perforated peripheral wall of a rotary suctionwheel. The initial suction stream terminates at this transfer location,while a second suction stream is applied through the suction wheel todraw the material against the periphery thereof. The several subsidiarysuction conduits have a direction of flow which cuts across theperiphery of the suction wheel at a predetermined angle providing formovement-free, layered deposition of the several subsidiary streams ontothe periphery of the suction wheel with the several streams beingdistributed one behind the other along the periphery of the suctionwheel. The cross section of each of the several subsidiary suctionconduits gradually diminishes to the width of the suction wheel whileeach subsidiary conduit has a circumferential length several timesgreater than its minimum width.

l l l I PATENT ED FEB 1 s l97l I M- I SHEET 1 [IF 5 FIG. 1

YINVENTORS HERBERT GEYER JOHANNES HERRMANN EPATEN 6 T ts , WNVENTORSHERBERT GEYER TOHANNESHERRMANN PATENTEU FEB 1 s IHYI 3563,2491

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HERBERT GEYYER U'OHANNES HERRMANN PATENTED FEB 1 s m sum S 0? 5INVENTORS HERBIERT GEYER J O HANNES HE RRMANN METHOD AND APPARATUS FORMANUFACTURING CONTINUOUS STRANDS OF A POURABLE MATERIAL SUCH AS SHREDDEDTOBACCO BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to amethod and apparatus for manufacturing a continuous st. .nd of apourable, fibrous material such as shredded tobacco. The inventionrelates in particular to that type of construction where the stream oftobacco is pneumatically transported at high speed to the perforatedperipheral wall of a rotary suction wheel onto which the tobaccoparticles are deposited in the form of a stream.

It is in general known to provide a loose, scattered tobaccodistribution to a feeding device which feeds the tobacco distributed inthis latter condition pneumatically to a device in which a morecompacted, cohesive strand of tobacco is formed for manufacturingcigarette strands.

Thus, it is known to transport the shredded tobacco along a passage, bymeans of an airstream, to a perforated supply belt which movesperpendicularly with respect to the feeding direction in the airpassage, the tobacco being deposited on the supply belt to form a strandthereon.

It is also known to deposit shredded tobacco which is suspended in anairstream onto the perforated peripheral wall of a feed drum throughwhich the airstream transversely flows with the tobacco distributed overa relatively large circumferential region of the drum to form a strandof tobacco.

The disadvantage which arises in connection with the known constructionis that if the output is to be increased, more tobacco must be conveyedper unit of time when pneumatic conveyors are being used, either theircross sections or the air velocities must be increased. Increasing thecross section has the disadvantage that this gives rise to accumulationsof tobacco with attendant harmful effects on the quality of the tobacco.If higher air velocities are employed, the tobacco particles must beaccelerated from their initial velocity to the feed velocity, thisrequiring that the cross section and length of the conveyor be adjustedwith respect to each other to provide an optimum ratio, which in actualpractice is difficult to achieve.

Furthermore, it is known to pneumatically feed the shredded tobaccotangentially to the strand-forming groove of a rotary suction wheelwhich coacts with a rotary band or belt which covers the groove so as topack the tobacco into a strand.

The disadvantage which arises in connection with such procedure is thatagglomeration of the tobacco cannot be avoided, so that the strandformed has irregularities.

It is also known, in order to increase the uniformity of the tobaccostrand which forms the cigarette and in order to increase the output ofthe cigarette strand-forming machine, to use horizontally or verticallyarranged centrifuge wheels to the center of which the tobacco is fedpneumatically or mechanically and provide during centrifuging acentrifugal force which loosens up any entanglements of fibers whichstill exist and which forms the tobacco strand outwardly from theinterior toward the periphery of these centrifuge wheels.

Furthermore, it is known to deliver shredded tobacco supplied to a smallsupply passage and from the latter centrifugally into a strand-forminggroove of a rotary suction wheel, with the region of distribution at thesuction wheel being limited to a more or less pronounced extent. Withthis arrangement rotary beating rollers or compressed airstreams areused to carry out the method and accelerate the tobacco particles.Structures of this type, however, are not always satisfactory.

Finally, it has also been proposed to transfer a pneumatically suppliedstream of shredded tobacco in the form of a flow directed into thestrand-forming groove or onto the perforated circumferential wall of asuction wheel, with the flow direction engaging the suction wheel atsuch an angle that this latter flow direction cuts across the peripheryof the suction wheel. The tobacco fibers are deposited in such a waythat an inclined layering is provided in the strand to achieve in thisway a high transverse elasticity. The flow directions are changed bydeflecting the stream within given limits.

With a method of this latter type uniformity in the structure of thetobacco strand is substantially increased and also the transverseelasticity and thus the filling capacity are improved, but only up tocertain output limits since it is not possible with a method of thistype to deliver, as is required with high machine outputs, a relativelylarge amount of tobacco per unit of time into a single supply passage,with curvature of the passage and changes in the cross section thereof,so as to deliver the tobacco pneumatically to the suction wheel with therequired uniformity for the strand structure. As a result of thecentrifugal force at the locations where the passage curves as well asthe increase in impact and friction resistance where the cross sectionof the supply passage narrows, structural changes are encountered alongthe path of travel of the tobacco stream in such a way that long andshort tobacco fibers accumulate separately in localized portions of thecross section of the strand. There then results with a correspondinglyhigh output, that is with a correspondingly great through'flow of thematerial, in an unacceptable lack of uniformity in the strand whichbecomes deposited on the suction wheel. Also, at high outputs, as aresult of these latter factors, there will be frequent plugging of thesupply passage at the narrowest regions thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly the primary object of thepresent invention to provide a method and-apparatus which will avoid theabove drawbacks.

In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a method andapparatus which will prevent substantially avoid reduction in length ofthe tobacco fibers and thus reduce tobacco losses, which will preventinterruptions in the operation of the machine resulting from plugging ofthe supply passage, and which will improve the quality of the tobaccostrand which is worked into the cigarettes, in particular with respectto the uniformity of the fiber layers, the density of the strand, andthe transverse elasticity, thereof.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a method andapparatus accordingto which a stream of fibrous material, particularlyshredded tobacco, is pneumatically fed while being treated in such a waythat in the region of the pneumatic feeding path there is a high degreeof uniformity in the density and mass of the cross section of thematerial with tobacco fibers or particles being transferred to a rotarysuction wheel in a direction which will provide a uniform strandconstruction in the strand which forms by deposition of the material onthe suction wheel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way ofexample in the accompanying drawings which form part of this applicationand in which:

FIG. I is a view in elevation of the apparatus according to theinvention, with portions thereof shown in section FIG. 2 is a plan viewthereof, with a portion shown in section;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the strand-building structure, taken alongline 3-3 of FIG. 4 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the strand-building structure of FIG. 3,taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

Referring now the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the supplymeans for supplying the tobacco in a dispersed, loosened, scattered,condition to the inlet of the suction conduit means. This supply meansincludes a supply container 1 in which the supply of tobacco 2 issituated. This container 1 has sidewalls 3 and 4 and supports for rotarymovement a toothed roller 5 having a plurality of sharp pins projectingfrom its cylindrical wall. This roller 5 coacts with a stripping roller6, a beating roller 7, an endless conveyor belt 8 guided around rollers9, a roller 10, and a guiding structure which can be connected with themain drive shaft 11 or can be separately driven by a driving motor 12.

The suction conduit means 13 has an inlet end situated directly at thedelivery end of the endless conveyor belt 8 of the supply means on whichthe tobacco fibers are dispersed. This suction conduit means 13 has inthe region of the roller 9, about which the belt 8 extends, and the rolla substantially conical flaring portion 14 which diverges toward thedelivery end of the belt 8 and which in cross section has aconfiguration adapted to the transfer requirements at the belt 8. At itsflaring inlet 14, the suction conduit means 13 has a wall 15 which isdisposed which tangentially with respect to the smooth exteriorcylindrical surface of the roll 10 and rises approximately vertically upfrom the plane of the belt 8 while the other wall 16 of the suctionconduit means 13, at its portion 14 which diverges towards band 8, issuitably adjusted to the belt 8 at a distance therefrom at the regionwhere the belt 8 extends around the roller 9. (The flaring or divergentnature of the portion 14 and the tangential relationship between thewalls 15 of conduit 13 and the surface of roll 10 can more clearly beseen from FIG. 5 herein.)

As is apparent from FIG. 1, from the narrowest part of the divergingportion 14, the suction conduit means 13 has a constant cross sectionand is provided in its interior with partitions 17 and 18 which dividesthe suction conduit means into three subsidiary suction conduitsrespectively having uniform crosssectional areas.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be seen that distant from thesupply means shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the suction conduit means 13branches into separate subsidiary conduits 19, 20 and 21 respectivelysurrounded by cell means 22, 23 and 24 through which these subsidiaryconduits 19, 20 and 21 respectively extend, the several cell means 22,23 and 24 forming part of a housing 25 which surrounds the subsidiaryconduits 19-21. The several subsidiary conduits 19-21 provide for theconduits means 13 discharge ends located at transfer locations 26 in theregion of the perforated circumferential wall 40 of the suction wheel39. The several subsidiary conduits 19-21 provide for the conduitsrespectively terminute in individual transfer locations 26 where theycommunicate with a closed flow chamber 27, limited by the sidewalls 50and 51 indicated in FIG. 4.

After the several subsidiary suction conduits 19-21 respectively enterinto the separating cell means 23-25, the cross section of theseconduits changes in such a way that the longitudinal cross-sectionaldimensions of these conduits, circumferentially of the suction wheelmeans 39, is six to eight times the width of the effective suctionsurface of the circumferential perforated wall 40 of the suction feedwheel means 39. The several conduits 19-21 diminish in width so that atthe transfer locations 26 they have a minimum width substantially equalto that of the peripheral wall 40. As is apparent from FIG. 4 thereduction in cross section of the several conduits 19-21 takes placegradually along a small angle up to the minimum width which equals theeffective width of the cylindrical perforated wall 40 of the rotarysuction wheel 39v Moreover, it is to be noted that within the severalseparating cell means 22-24 the conduits 19-21 respectively initiallybecome slightly longer in cross section, circumferentially of the wheel40, and upon reaching their maximum cross-sectional length, this latterlength is maintained without change all the way up to the transferlocations 26.

The several suction conduits 19-21 are provided with foraminous wallportions which start somewhat beyond the leading ends of their regionsof longest cross-sectional length, these foraminous wall portions 28being in the nature of windows formed by perforated, slotted, orfine-mesh wall portions which serve to provide a discharge for the airstreams in which the tobacco is suspended in the suction conduit means,the air flowing out through the foraminous wall portions 28 into theseparating cells 22-24, respectively. Thus, the discharge portions 28have their starting ends located somewhat beyond the region where thesuction conduits 19-21 have reached their longest cross-sectionallength, and these discharge portions 28 are located to those regions ofthe subsidiary conduits 19-21 where their longitudinal cross-sectionaldimensions no longer change. The foraminous wall portions 28 terminatein the downstream direction at the location where the cross-sectionalwidth of the individual suction conduits 19-21 is approximately threetimes the minimum width thereof, as is indicated in FIG. 4.

The several cells means 22-24 respectively surround the severalsubsidiary suction conduits 19-21 at such a distance therefrom that aflow through the foraminous windows 28 is assured. Wall portions of theseveral separating cell means 22- -24 are respectively formed withair-discharge openings 29 which provide communication between theseveral cells 22- 24 and a common collection chamber 31. At the severalopenings 29 are valves 30 in the form swingable or hingeably connectedplates which can be adjusted in any known way for controlling the sizeof the openings 29 through which the air flows into the common chamber31. This chamber 31 communicates (FIG. 4) through a pipe 32 with acyclone 33, including suction tube 55, which is in turn connected to thesuction inlet of a fan 34 which is operated to achieve the flow ofsuction air through the conduit means 13 and the separate subsidiarysuction conduits thereof. The fan 34 has a peripheral discharge conduit35 which has an elbow portion to redirect the discharge of the fan 34 tocommunicate with a filter 36. The major portion of the discharge leadsinto a conduit 37, which in turn feeds into a flaring outlet 38 (FIG. 2)which communicates with the inlet of the suction conduit means 13.

The several subsidiary suction conduits 19-21 are arranged one behindthe other in series circumferentially of and in the region of theperipheral wall 40 of the suction feed wheel means 39, and thedirections of the conduits 19-21 is such that extensions of the centerlines thereof cut across the periphery of the suction feed wheel means39, with each center line of each subsidiary conduit intersecting atangent at the periphery of the suction wheel means 39 at apredetermined sharp, substantially pointed, acute angle.

An open ended enclosed chamber 27 extends between the transfer locations26 and the wall 40 of the wheel 39 and communicates through theperforations in the circumferential wall 40 of the wheel 39 with aninner flow chamber 41 formed between the stationary end wall 42 and therotary sidewall 43 of the suction wheel means 39. This inner flowchamber 41 in the interior of the suction wheel means 39 communicatesthrough a screen or other grid type of mesh 44 with the interior of ahollow shaft 45 which carries the rotary suction wheel 39. This hollowshaft 45 in turn communicates through a cyclone 46, including tube 56,with a fan 47 which produces the second suction stream which actsthrough the perforations of the wall 40 on the space within the chamber27 extending between the transfer locations 26and the wall 40. The fans34 and 47 are directly connected with the respective cyclones 33 and 46i.e., the suction ports of the fans open into the cyclones. Thus thepipe 32 and hollow shaft 45 open into the cyclones 33 and 46 which areconnected directly with fans 34 and 47. The inlet of the fans, i.e., thesuction portions are arranged in the center of the fan housings and arein direct communication with the cyclones. The feeding of the fibrousmaterial by suction streams within the suction conduit means 13terminates where the latter suction streams flow out of the subsidiaryconduits 19-21 at their foraminous windows 28. The second stream createdin the interior of the suction wheel 39 by the fan 47 then participatesin the continued movement of the fibrous materials, shown in part, inthe central portion of FIG. 4. This fan 47 has a peripheral outletconduit 48 which passes through an elbow portion to redirect thedischarge of the fan 47 to a dust filter 49.

The wheel 39, which is supported for rotary movement on the hollow shaft45, is driven by way of a bevel-gear transmission from the main driveshaft 11.

The above-described structure of the invention operates in the followingmanner in accordance with the method of the invention:

From the supply container 1 of the supply means the shredded tobacco 2is engaged by the rotary pin or toothed wheel 5 and is fed along acircumferential path where the excess tobacco is stripped by thestripping roll 6 and fed back into the supply container 1. Thehigh-speed beating roll 7 beats the tobacco fibers out of the roller 5and centrifugally loosens the tobacco so as to disperse it intoindividual fibers which, in the form of a spray or shower of fibers, isdeposited on the high-speed rotary band 8.

The belt 8 which moves around the rollers 9 delivers the dispersed thintobacco fleece 52 into the inlet 14 of the suction conduit means 13,this inlet 14 having a size adapted to the width of the belt 8. Theinitial inlet portion of the suction conduit means 13 extendsapproximately perpendicularly with respect to the plane of the belt 8and provides a suction stream of relatively high speed directedapproximately perpendicularly with respect to the direction in which thefleece is taken off from the belt 8. The roller which rotates at thespeed of movement of the belt 8 and which is arranged over the roller 9and has a smooth exterior surface prevents non uniform particles of thethin tobacco fleece 52 from being taken up by the suction stream, thisroller 10 engaging the tobacco fleece 52 without any pressure.

The enlarged end of 14 of the suction conduit means 13 enables thelatter to take the fleece from the belt 8 across the entire widththereof with the shredded tobacco for the most part being loosened upinto individual fibers. In this condition the shredded tobacco isaccelerated into the suction stream to then be subdivided by thepartitions 17, 18 into the plurality of individual subsidiary streamswhich eventually reach the branches 19-21 of the suction conduit meansso as to be fed in this way to the transfer locations 26 which aresituated in the region of the perforated circumferential wall 40 of thesuction wheel means 39. Thus, the fleece which is taken up from the belt8 across the entire width thereof has its cross section graduallyreduced along the small or acute gradually changing angle formed by theenlarged portion 14, substantially eliminating in this way the impact orfriction resistance which arises without any formation of larger fiberballs, and in this way the fibers are fed into the individual subsidiarystream "where their cross section remains unchanged. The conduit 13 andthe side branches 19, 20, 21 have a constant cross section ,until theyenter the housing 25. They only undergo the slight and very gradualincrease in circumferential length described V above and shown in FIG. 3just upstream of the windows 28 within the separating cells 22-24. Thecross section, of the conduits 19, 20, 21 following their arriving atwindows 28 or entry into the housing 25, changes so that the widthdecreases while the height increases (FIGS. 3 and 4), thecross-sectional t areas remain constant. Thus, the speed of movement ofthe streams of tobacco also remains substantially constant, i.e., underthese conditions of constant cross-sectional areas, the flow velocityremains substantially constant. As a result of dividing the stream oftobacco up into several subsidiary streams, at the places where theconduit means curves, the tendency toward an increaseddensity due tocentrifugal force and a corresponding increased frictional resistanceand formation of fiber balls is substantially smaller than would be thecase if only one single stream of tobacco were provided.

At the transfer locations 26 in the region of the perforated wall 40 ofthe suction wheel means 39 the tobacco streams flow into the transferspace within the flow chamber 27 which is limited by the sidewalls 50and 51, and the tobacco particles are directed in a plurality of flowpaths situated one behind the other circumferentially of the wheel 39along a portion of the circumferential wall 40 thereof.

The pneumatic supply of the tobacco particles in the suction conduitmeans 13 and branches 19-71 thereof terminates at the foraminous windows28, but because of the inertia of the tobacco particles they dischargeout of the outlet openings of the branches 19-21 into the flow chamber27 where their movement is continued by the suction action of the secondsuction stream which acts through the perforations of the wall 40 of thewheel means 39. In this way the particles are deposited in layers at thecircumferential wall 40 where they form a tobacco strand with the wheel39 rotating at the speed of movement of the tobacco strand.

The directions of the streams flowing out of the branches 19-21 cutacross the periphery of the wheel 39 to form with tangents thereto theacute angles a situated at the circumference of the wheel 39.

The action of the suction stream in the chamber 27 derived through theperforated wall 40 results in a traverse of the tobacco stream acrossthe last portion of the path of travel to the wheel 39 without theformation of any balls, this last portion extending between the transferlocations 26 and the wall 40, to achieve a uniform deposition of thetobacco strand with any slight mass differences of the individualstreams compensating each other.

By dividing the separator housing 25 up into the individual separatingcell means 22-24 which are provided at their individual cell walls withthe individual valve controls 30 which act independently of each other,so that the sizes of the several openings 29 can be individuallyregulated, the suction streams in the individual branches 19-21 can beindependently controlled so that the velocity of each subsidiary tobaccostream can be individually regulated within certain limits. Thus, thefeed velocity V and the circumferential strand velocity V of the feedwheel means 39 can be predetermined with respect to each other in such away that these velocities have a relationship according to the formula:

COS velocity V of circumferential wall 40 a feed velocity V Thedesirable angle or provides under these constructive conditions that nochange in acceleration i.e., increase or decrease in acceleration of thesubsidiary streams in the new direction of movement of thecircumferential wall 40 takes place, and thus avoids any strand slippagewith respect to the circumferential wall 40 of the feed wheel means 39so as to guarantee, at the same time, that the fibers will be layered inan inclined direction so that highly favorable large extent oftransverse stress with respect to the enveloping cigarette paper andthus a large filling capacity will be achieved.

The tobacco strand is held as a result of the suction against theperforated circumferential wall 40 through a predetermined regionthereof, and then in a known way is fed past a trimming device whichsevers the excess tobacco from the cord and from there to a cigarettemaking machine where the tobacco cord is enclosed in cigarette paper andbrought to the desired diameter and length.

The suction stream which acts through the perforations of thecircumferential wall 40 flows through the inner flow chamber 41 definedbetween the walls 42 and 43 and through the screen or grid 44 into thehollow shaft 45 where this second suction stream is produced by the fan47 which communicates with the hollow shaft 45 through the intermediatecyclone 46.

The particular example described above and shown in the drawing wherethe suction conduit 13 is divided into three subsidiary streams and hasthree branches 19-21 can, of course, be replaced with any desired numberof subdivisions for the feeding of the tobacco streams. By dividing thestream .up into the smaller subsidiary streams the method can beadjusted to any desired increase in output and a strand having desirableproperties assured.

We claim:

1. In a method for manufacturing a continuous strand of pourable,fibrous material such as shredded tobacco, the steps of pneumaticallyfeeding the fibrous material in a first suction stream at a relativelyhigh speed to a transfer location spaced from the peripheral wall of arotary suction wheel, the fibrous components of the stream flowing fromthe transfer location to the periphery of the sucti orrvheel, subjectingthe fibrous material in the space between the transfer location and thesuction feeding wheel to the influence of a second suction stream,dividing the first stream with the fibrous material therein into aplurality of subsidiary streams arranged one behind the other in seriesalong the peripheral wall of the suction wheel at the transfer location,reducing the cross-sectional width of subsidiary streams to a widthcorresponding to that of the suction wheel, adjusting the length of eachsubsidiary stream circumferentially of the suction wheel so that itslength will be several times greater than its smallest width, wherebythere is formed on the periphery of the suction wheel during transfer ofthe subsidiary stream from the transfer location to the periphery of thewheel a layered strand, where the fibers are deposited in the layers anddirecting the subsidiary streams toward the rotary suction wheelrespectively along the directions which cut across the periphery of thesuction wheel at a predetermined angle which provides a slip-freedelivery of the material onto the suction wheel.

2. In a method as recited in claim 1 and including the step ofregulating the speed of flow of the individual subsidiary streamsindependently of each other by independently changing the speed of theindividual subsidiary suction streams in which the fibrous material issuspended.

3. In an apparatus for manufacturing a continuous strand of fibrousmaterial, such as shredded tobacco, supply means for supplying thefibrous material, suction producing means, rotary suction wheel meanshaving a perforated peripheral wall on which the strand is continuouslyformed, elongated suction conduit means having an inlet end situated atsaid supply means to receive the fibrous material therefrom andextending from said supply means up to the region of said rotary suctionwheel means to a transfer location at which a stream of the material inthe suction conduit means is transferred across a predetermined space tosaid suction wheel means, said suction conduit means including aplurality of subsidiary suction conduits separate from each other anddividing the stream of fibrous material into individual subsidiarystreams which flow longitudinally along said suction conduit means, saidsuction conduit means flaring in the region of said supply means todiverge toward said supply means for changing the form of the stream asit flows from said supply means to a part of said suction conduit meanswhere the latter is divided into said subsidiary suction conduits andsaid subsidiary suction conduits being situated in series one next tothe other circumferentially of the rotary suction wheel means at apredetermined distance therefrom, a closed chamber receiving the streamfrom said suction conduit means at said transfer location andcommunicating with the outer periphery of said suction wheel means andextending between said transfer location and said suction wheel means,the subsidiary suction conduits terminating at said transfer locationrespectively and having centerlines which extend across the periphery ofthe rotary suction wheel means at an angle to provide a slip-freedeposition of the material from the suction conduit means onto theperiphery of said suction wheel means.

4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein a plurality of separator cellmeans respectively surround the plurality of subsidiary suction conduitsin the region of the transfer location so that the plurality ofsubsidiary suction conduits respectively extend through said pluralityof separator cell means, and said plurality of subsidiary suctionconduits respectively having foraminous wall portions in said pluralityof separator cell means through which suction air flows out of saidplurality of subsidiary suction conduits in the region of said transferlocation to stop the movement of the fibrous particles by suction air insaid suction conduit means, a plurality of valve means respectivelycarried by said plurality of separator cell means for controllingindividually the flow of suction air in the several subsidiary suctionconduits, respectively, a collecting chamber common to and communicatingwith all of said separator cell means for receiving the suction airtherefrom,

cyclone means, conduit means leading from said commoncollectlon chamberto said cyclone means, and fans means communicating with the interior ofsaid cyclone means for achieving the suction streams in said suctionconduit means.

5, The combination of claim 4 wherein the cross section of each of saidsubsidiary suction conduits gradually diminishes to the width of thesuction wheel means while the length of each of said subsidiary suctionconduits is increased circum-

2. In a method as recited in claim 1 and including the step ofregulating the speed of flow of the individual subsidiary streamsindependently of each other by independently changing the speed of theindividual subsidiary suction streams in which the fibrous material issuspended.
 3. In an apparatus for manufacturing a continuous strand offibrous material, such as shredded tobacco, supply means for supplyingthe fibrous material, suction producing means, rotary suction wheelmeans having a perforated peripheral wall on which the strand iscontinuously formed, elongated suction conduit means having an inlet endsituated at said supply means to receive the fibrous material therefromand extending from said supply means up to the region of said rotarysuction wheel means to a transfer location at which a stream of thematerial in the suction conduit means is transferred across apredetermined space to said suction wheel means, said suction conduitmeans including a plurality of subsidiary suction conduits separate fromeach other and dividing the stream of fibrous material into individualsubsidiary streams which flow longitudinally along said suction conduitmeans, said suction conduit means flaring in the region of said supplymeans to diverge toward said supply means for changing the form of thestream as it flows from said supply means to a part of said suctionconduit means where the latter is divided into said subsidiary suctionconduits and said subsidiary suction conduits being situated in seriesone next to the other circumferentially of the rotary suction wheelmeans at a predetermined distance therefrom, a closed chamber receivingthe stream from said suction conduit means at said transfer location andcommunicating with the outer periphery of said suction wheel means andextending between said transfer location and said suction wheel means,the subsidiary suction conduits terminating at said transfer locationrespectively and having centerlines which extend across the periphery ofthe rotary suction wheel means at an angle to provide a slip-freedeposition of the material from the suction conduit means onto theperiphery of said suction wheel means.
 4. The combination of claim 3 andwherein a plurality of separator cell means respectively surround theplurality of subsidiary suction conduits in the region of the transferlocation so that the plurality of subsidiary suction conduitsrespectively extend through said plurality of separator cell means, andsaid plurality of subsidiary suction conduits respectively havingforaminous wall portions in said plurality of separator cell meansthrough which suction air flows out of said plurality of subsidiarysuction conduits in the region of said transfer location to stop themovement of the fibrous particles by suction air in said suction conduitmeans, a plurality of valve means respectively carried by said pluralityof separator cell means for controlling individually the flow of suctionair in the several subsidiary suction conduits, respectively, acollecting chamber common to and communicating with all of saidseparator cell means for receiving the suction air therefrom, cyclonemeans, conduit means leading from said common collection chamber to saidcyclone means, and fans means communicating with the interior of saidcyclone means for achieving the suction streams in said suction conduitmeans.
 5. The combination of claim 4 wherein the cross section of eachof said subsidiary suction conduits gradually diminishes to the width ofthe suction wheel means while the length of each of said subsidiarysuction conduits is increased circumferentially of said suction wheelmeans to a length several times greater than its minimum width.